Water-meter support and connection.



E. H FORD WATER METER SUPPORT AND CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3. l9l7- Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED APR- 13; 1917- Patented Apr. 9,1918

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WATER-METEE surreal we counncrmm Specification of Letters Patent.

Application meditate 1' 3, 1917. seems. 161,774.

Patented A'ipr; 9; il 9t8.

r K Referring to the drawings, 10' represents N FORD, a a meter-box, and 11 the vertical branches citizen of the United States, residing: at Wabash, in the county of Wabash and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain n'ewan useful Improvements in water-Meter Supports and Connections, of whic'h the following is a specification. 7 A g The adoption and use b'y" p11'bljic' water service companies of devices for setting and connecting water meters 1 to branches of serv ice pipes, where the meters" arepla ce d' some distance below the surface of the ground in meter-boxes, is largely determined by the following considerations, rst, whether the meters can easily and readily be placed and clamped into operative position; second, whether the mechanisms mi imising the meters in position can easily be reached and manipulated from" the 's'urfac'e of the ground and, third,- wlithen the meters easily and readily be removed from operative'position'. r In many of tle present devic'esupoii the market for setting and connecting water meters to the branches of service pipes the mechanisms for clamping the meters into operative position are situated so that the meters can be seated and removed only after considerably annoyance and labor from within the narrow confines of conventional styles of meter-boxes.

The present invention relates to a device for supporting and for clamping water meters within meter-boxes; and the object of the invention consists in the provision of a device of the above character whereby meters can easily be placed and clamped into position; the clamping mechanism being easily accessible from the surface of the ground, and which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

I accomplish the above objects of the in vention, and such others as may appear from a perusal of the specification and claims, by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the construction. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view partly in front elevation and partly in section, on the line H in Fig. 3.

of the service pipe, the said branches ex?- tending into the meter-box 1n substantially (1 parallel direction. The threaded free end of each pipe branch 11 is" screwed into a threaded opening alrraii'ged' in the central portion of an arm 15 having a. passageway 16 for conducting'the water therethro 'gh. See Fig. 4. Arms 15* are provided with suitable shoulders 19 which ektend partly around thel'owerportio or this o eai rgs of passageways" 16 to form'sfaddlsj for supporting the sp -as" 18' of a meter 20; his 155, when arranged in ep ranvei position on the ends: of pipe branches 11, standoblrq'ue vertical plane through the axes of pipe branches 11, so a'sto brine iil l d ends of the arms out to ear vertical planes eiit ing past the side edges of mete ed is important for the reasbn that th arms ca'rry the clamping place the latter injposition to' re-nde r tlif'eiii readily accessible from ab'ove, one eiid of each bolt- 25 is pr'ovided with right hand threads where it engages the corresponding arm 1s and the Opposite and of even tau-51s provided with left hand threads where it engages the corresponding, arm 15. Each bai 25 is further provided with an integral wheel 26 having a grooved periphery so as to render more easy the rotation of said bolts from the surface of the ground.

l/Vhen meter 20 is placed into saddles 19 the joints between the metal parts are sealed against leakage by means of the gaskets 30. In the operation of clamping meter 20 tightly between arms 15 the lower bolt 25 is initially rotated to bring arms 15 toward each other to a point merely to admit the introduction of the particular type of meter and gasket to be installed and no more. The lower bolt, therefore, for all intent and purpose becomes a permanent partof the struc ture, as all subsequent manipulations of clamping the meter and arms against the gaskets, and the loosening of the parts for the removal of the meter are entirely effected and controlled by the upper bolt 25.

The present invention is a simple and readily a meter can be lowered or raised from its operative position free from interference. V V

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, a pair of pipe branches, meter-supports comprising opposite arms ar ranged on the free ends of said pipe branches and having passageways for conducting Water between the pipe branches and the meter, means for adjustably con necting and for initially spacing one pair of ends of the arms a determined distanceapart, and means for adjustably connecting the opposite ends of the arms and for impinging the latter against the meter.

2. In combination, a pair of pipebranches, meter-supports arranged on the free ends of said pipe branchesand disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axes of said branches, said supports having passageways for conducting water between the branches and the meter, means, for connecting and for spacing the lower ends of the meter-supports a determined distance apart, and means for connecting the upper ends of the meter,- supports and for impinging the latter against the meter.

3. In combination, a meter-box, a pair of pipe, branches extending into said box, meter-supports comprising opposite arms arranged on the free ends of said pipe branches and having passageways for conducting water between the latter and the meter, means for adjustably connecting and for initially spacing one pair of ends of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for arms a determined distance apart, and means for adj ustably connecting the opposite ends of the arms and for impinging the latter against the meter. 7

4. In combination, a meter-box, a pair of pipe branches extending into said box,

meter-supports comprising opposite arms arranged on the free ends of said pipebranches and having passageways for conducting Water between the latter and the meter, means carried by said arms for holding the meter in operative position, means for adjustably connecting andt'or initiall 7 spacing one pair of ends of the arms a determined distance apart, and meansv for adjustably'connecting the opposite ends of the meter-supports and for impinging the latter against the meter.

5. In combination, a meter-box, a pair of pipe branches extending into said box, meter-supports arranged on the free ends of said pipe-branches and disposed obliquely to thelongitudinal axes of said branches, said supports having passageways for conducting water between the latter and the meter, means for adjustably connecting and for initially spacing the lower ends of the supports a determined distance apart, and means for connecting the upper ends of the supports and for impinging the latter against the meter. 7 a

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Wabash, Indiana, this 3rd dayof April, A. B. one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

L EDWIN aroma. a s1 five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." V r 

